Issue 180 of Norfolk Nips & Cask Force

No.180

Spring 2017

NORFOLK NIPS HITS 180!

WHO’S BREWING?

THE RISE OF THE MACHINES

The Head Brewer of Panther brewery discusses big changes

Is the future of beer dispense without humans?

Magazine of the Norfolk Branches of the Campaign for Real Ale

* see pages 46 - 56

Special Festival Section

E F RE

Norfolk Nips | Bournemouth AGM

Colin Valentine: Why I’m looking forward to Bournemouth

This April, I will be joining CAMRA members from across the UK in the seaside resort of Bournemouth for CAMRA’s Members’ Weekend, which includes our National AGM and Conference.

I have been attending the CAMRA Members’ Weekend for almost 30 years, well before I was active nationally, never mind National Chairman. Those of you who were in Norwich in 2013 may remember that I still have my glass from my first AGM weekend, as they were then called, in Norwich in 1990. Even prior to becoming Chairman, I always made an effort to travel to whichever corner of the country the weekend was held and have only missed one since then and was even organiser in Edinburgh in 1998. It has always been, and still is, an opportunity to meet with old

In this issue: Looking forward to Bournemouth3 Tobi’s Tipple

5

friends, make new acquaintances and socialise with other CAMRA members from across the country.

Pub and Brewery News

Most importantly, the Members’ Weekend is a fantastic opportunity for any member across the organisation – whether you have just joined, been a member for 20+ years, active or inactive – to shape the future direction and purpose of CAMRA. As Chairman, I now have the great responsibility of making sure that the AGM and Conference part of the Members’ Weekend is run successfully and open to every single one of our 185,000 members. This year, that responsibility is even greater than ever before.

“Following 50 consultation meetings across the UK and three national surveys, we have now seen the proposals that were put forward by the Revitalisation Project Steering Committee on CAMRA’s future.”

6-8

The Ed’lines

10

Stig’s Words

11

Award Presentation

13

Around Breweries

14

Norfolk Brewhouse Expansion 17 Who’s Brewing?

18-19

Bird’s Eye View

21

Thetford Developments

22

Pub is the Hub

23

Letters to the Editor

24-25

Norwich Beer Festival Logo

27

From the Archives

29

Rise of the Machines

30-31

Hove, actually

35-39

CAMRA LocAle Update

41

CAMRA Discount Scheme

43

CAMRA Beer Festivals Calendar 45 Beer Festival Listings

46-57

Join CAMRA

58

Steve’s Words

59

CAMRA Branch Calendar

61

Contacts

62

Continued Overleaf Spring 2017 | 3

Norfolk Nips | Bournemouth AGM - continued Following 50 consultation meetings across the UK and three national surveys, we have now seen the proposals that were put forward by the Revitalisation Project Steering Committee on CAMRA’s future.

Whether you agree or disagree with the proposals, took part in the consultation events or stayed at home, the Members’ Weekend will be the opportunity to discuss them inside and out ahead of a decision next year.

Over the weekend, members will be able to consider the Revitalisation Project and proposals on the future of CAMRA in a series of discussion groups. It will be your chance to have a say on the Revitalisation Project’s findings and represent your views in the debate. A final decision on the proposals will then be taken at the Members’ Weekend in 2018.

I am proud to chair an organisation that is a true democracy

– where every member has the opportunity to feed into our policies, direction and future.

I never forget that without our huge membership base and dedicated volunteers; there simply would not be a CAMRA. I hope you will consider joining us in Bournemouth this year. The closing date for registration is Friday 17th March 2017. For more information simply visit camraagm.org.uk.

Charity ale is back as a proven life saver It’s back, after last year’s charity beer Tobi’s Tipple Special Edition really did save a life...

Last summer, Alan contacted the Norfolk Brewhouse and literally said ‘Did you know your beer saves lives?’ So joining forces again with Norwich based charity It’s On The Ball and with support from of over 70 pubs and clubs across Norfolk, Tobi’s Tipple Special Edition is back on bars throughout January to continue raising awareness of testicular cancer.

After drinking a pint at his local club, the Bob Carter Centre in Drayton, just outside of Norwich, Alan said “The It’s On The Ball information, provided by The Norfolk Brewhouse with their (particularly fine) Tobi's Tipple, prompted me to think that something wasn’t right. This opinion was subsequently confirmed by those infinitely more qualified than me. My cancer was detected and treated at Stage 1 (the earliest and most survivable of four). As a consequence of this, my prognosis is very good. Some people I speak to regarding my experience seem to be very uncomfortable and embarrassed about the subject. Please try and get over this; I don't like to think where I would be today if I'd been too embarrassed to visit my GP.”

Tobi’s Tipple launch at the Bob Carter Centre Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer amongst young men as well asa difficult subject to get men talking about. So creating a special beer, with the support of pubs, seemed like the perfect combination to increase awareness and conversations, whilst also encouraging people into their local in January, often one of the toughest months in a pub’s year.

Tobi is the charity’s pants wearing logo (an anagram of IOTB, the initials of It’s On The Ball).

His oversized y-fronts have been seen at many events, increasing the awareness of the charity and its basic message for men to check themselves monthly. A ‘Pants Wall of Fame’ is a feature on the IOTB website and it is hoped that many more pictures will be added to this during the campaign.

Norfolk Brewhouse Brewer and co-owner David Holliday, said; “To us, supporting It’s On The Ball is a no brainer, by spreading a simple message we can all easily help save lives.

Spring 2017 | 5

Pub and Brewery News | Norfolk Nips

Pub and Brewery News Ian Stamp’s News The Rising Sun at Coltishall has re-opened, and has four ales on the bar, two from Greene King, one from Adnams and one from Humpty Dumpty at our visit in November. Food is served at lunchtime and in the evening, and there’s a nice outside area with views along the river, as well as a large restaurant area featuring a collection of sewing machines and a 6d slot machine from the 60s!

Not much in the way of good news in Norwich, where we learn that Greene King, owners of the Windmill, on Plumstead Road, want to sell the car park for houses to be built. The pub’s locals obtained over 100 signatures to nominate the pub as an ACV, and Norwich City Council have visited and will decide shortly.

The Pig & Whistle in Westlegate closed just before Christmas when Enterprise Inns and the latest tenants (who also run the Walnut Tree Shades) could not agree an increased rent, after they had run the pub for six months.

And the Freed Man, Mildred Road, has been granted planning permission for conversion residential use.

There is a small silver lining, in that the Robin Hood in Anchor Street, re-opened in late November after being 6 | Spring 2017

closed for several months.

News from the West

In the county, the Heart of Wymondham closed in October and reopened in December. Thurne Lion closed at the end of October when the landlord retired, and the Three Horseshoes, Warham, a real gem and on CAMRA’s list of historic interiors, was sold after the owners of 30+ years retired. The pub will be closing until April for refurbishment - hopefully sensitive! Also the Gull, Framingham Pigot; and the Gallon Pot, in Great Yarmouth have both closed.

We start with an apology. In the last issue I referred to a blue plaque that was on display behind the bar in an unnamed pub. I have received a serious amount of grief for this and I would like to make it clear that, although this is not an official blue plaque as awarded by English Heritage, neither was it commissioned by the landlord of the pub as suggested. In fact it was the gift of a satisfied customer, and I apologise for suggesting otherwise.

Better news from the White Horse at East Barsham, which is to re-open as the Barsham Arms; the Bell at Brisley and the Blue Bell at Langham, which have both reopened, and the King’s Head, Filby, which we hear is to be refurbished and reopened - well done to the local Save the Kings Head Filby group, who raised the Asset of Community Value nomination, which is believed to have saved the pub from developers!

For details of all ACV pubs, and to nominate your local pub, or any other as an Asset of Community Value, please visit norwichcamra.org.uk/acv or contact pubs@norwichcamra.org.uk

As you are probably aware, some of our pubs are under threat, so here is an update.

The Railway Arms on Downham Station is closed, and Ian, the former landlord was unable to agree terms to reopen it and has moved on to new ventures. Damian, from the property company in charge of marketing the former bar told me in January.

‘I am still awaiting the approval from the railway company to begin marketing this as there are apparently some repairs required and given it’s grade II listing this may take a while. In the meantime I have been putting together a contact list of people who have expressed an interest in the property and will email them in due course. If you wish I can add people that you may feel will be interested so that they are sent details as well.’

Norfolk Nips | Pub and Brewery News So contact me if you are interested, and I will send on your details.

The Lord Nelson at Burnham Thorpe is closed as I write, but Mike from Greene King tells me ‘It is our intention however to reopen for trading as soon as possible and we are collaborating closely with the parish council, The Nelson Historical Society, the local authority and the 1805 Charity on the renovation project for the Lord Nelson. Given the rich heritage and local significance of the pub this is a complex task but the matter is in hand.

Any improvements we intend to make must comply with planning and regulatory approval, therefore I cannot commit to providing you with a reopening date but I suspect that this will have to be sometime in the spring 2017.’

The North Pickenham Community Trust are, as far as I am aware still looking to reopen the Blue Lion in North Pickenham, and a google search will lead you to more details.

One of the new ventures that Ian of the Railway has been involved in is a pop up pub in Tottenhill, called the Drivers Club. It opened in January and the first night exceeded expectations, so much that by around 9.30 the customers had drunk the place dry. It is situated above the classic car show room on the small retail estate opposite Bilton’s restaurant (formerly the Dray and Horses). Initially it is only

operating on Friday evenings, but if it continues to go well Saturday opening is planned.

When we first visited there was a cask of Ghost Ship and some real cider. It was so good we went back the following week and had the Citra beer in preference to the two ciders and range of gins on offer.

Good news also at the Ouse Amateur Sailing Club, where a special meeting in January was briefed about the planned changes to separate the Social Club from the Sailors. I believe that it was well attended and a steering group have been formed to take the proposals to be ratified at an EGM in March. It is likely that the name will be changed, but otherwise it will operate much as it has done in the past.

Several pubs are being refurbished. The Ffolkes Arms in Hillington closed in January for several months while major works are carried out. We visited just before Christmas and I was impressed to see a giant pin board with customers suggestions about what they wanted included. I was also impressed by the beer, so hopefully that will be near the top of the list. Work has finally started on the Wenns Hotel on Saturday Market Place in Lynn, but it looks like a long job, so it may be a month or two before we see the results of the labours. Down Norfolk Street, Chicago’s is also undergoing a major refit and I believe will be renamed.

Not everything in the garden is rosy. On a recent trip around

Lynn, we discovered that Bar Red and the Maids Head were both closed, though this may be a temporary situation.

There is a smart new bar in the front room of the Duke’s Head on Tuesday Market place, occupying what used to be the bistro, but there was no real ale. More encouragingly, there is a planning application on the old Jessops Camera shop at the end of the high Street seeking permission for a craft beer bar. Hopefully this will sell real ale if the objections from the charity shop next door can be overcome.

There are new people in the White Horse at Gaywood, who have ambitions to create a family environment where all are welcome. Phil Ashman, who took over at the beginning of the year is also planning events such as bingo, quiz nights and student nights.

The Foldgate at Stradsett has been closed for a while and as I write it is being advertised as being to let. As suits its position at the junction of two busy roads, it has always had a good reputation for food, and should prove a sound investment, so hopes are high that it will reopen.

I was disappointed to learn that Jo C’s have ceased brewing. Not only was Norfolk Kiwi one of my favourite beers, I also have great memories of a visit to the brewery where Jo gave us a tour. Unlike some breweries that cease producContinued Overleaf Spring 2017 | 7

Pub and Brewery News - continued | Norfolk Nips tion, Jo’s decision is due to the success of the enterprise which has transformed a one day a fortnight hobby into a full time job. The good news is that Boudicca Brewery are taking over the premises and with experience brewer Andy Mitchell on the team, we should get some excellent ales. Brewery founders Simon St Ruth, Helen St Ruth and Emma Pinder are committed to producing vegan beer, which should boost their appeal.

Norfolk Nips and Cask Force will no longer be available from the Crown and Mitre in Kings Lynn.

Your top scoring pubs in the West Norfolk branch area over the last three months on the NBSS scheme are Great Hockham Eagle (4.41/5), Castle Acre Ostrich (4.33), Peddars Sporle, Swan, South Wootton, Stuart House, Kings Lynn, Bedingfeld Arms, Oxborough, and Crown Hotel, Downham Market (all 4.25).

STOUT NAMED IN HONOUR OF LOCAL PUB LEGEND Jeff

Norwich’s longest established brewery, Chalk Hill, has announced the name of its new stout – Black Anna. The name, which has real Norwich pub heritage, was chosen by the judges from the hundreds of entries received. However, the suggestion was anonymous and Chalk Hill is now inviting family of Black Anna to come forward to receive the prize.

The stout’s name honours Anna Carrera, a local publican who ran the Jolly Butchers on Ber Street, Norwich, with her husband Jack Hannent from 1935. During more than 40 years there behind the bar, Anna became quite the local legend, singing jazz and blues to a packed pub when the Americans arrived during the Second World War and during the 1950s and 60s. Folklore suggests she was called Black Anna for her long black hair and black clothing.

Robbie Wincup, head brewer at Chalk Hill Brewery, said: “We were really surprised at the response to our ‘Name our stout’ competition – we had hundreds and hundreds of entries. It’s such a shame we don’t know who submitted it but we would love to be able to find some of Black Anna’s family and give them the opportunity to try the stout themselves and enjoy the prize.”

8 | Spring 2017

The Ed’lines Hopefully by the time you are reading this the National Winter Ales Beer Festival has been a great success and they will let us host it in Norwich for the next 2 years. I thank you if you helped as a volunteer and also as a customer.

I intend to have a full report from the organiser Rob Whitmore in our next edition.

Talking of drinking I noted a recent report that going down to the pub is good for you. Well we all knew that but now it is official. Very important scientists in Oxford have carried out research that found people who visited their local regularly felt more content and more likely to trust members of their community. It seems we actually talk to each other rather than by social networking. Is this why micro-pubs are so popular? Drinkers who visited city centre bars had shorter conversations and were less engaged with those who they were talking to as the groups were too big to support conversation. I know our January First Friday Five had 49 people in our group and even though I tried it was difficult to talk to everybody. The paper ‘Functional benefits of modest alcohol consumption’ can be read in Adaptive Human Behaviour and Physiology at tinyurl.com/hdtpg7c I expect you have all seen the recommendations of the CAMRA revitalisation project and at least we have been sensible in the outcome. We will still keep our name and support Real Ale & Ciders as usual. The main priority I see is to spend more time campaigning for the pub and at last this will be stepped up a gear. If you took part then you can be proud we have stayed with our core values. This will all be discussed at our Members’ Weekend and AGM in Bournemouth on 7-9th April so why not attend and have your say in person.

Well spring is approaching when hopefully the weather improves so you can at least sit outside and enjoy another wonderful pint of Real Ale. Heaven.

Graham 10 | Spring 2017

Pub cellar spotted doing 60mph down the M6.

Don’t be alarmed, it’s just one of our lorries.

Good beer needs to travel well. So to ensure our beer is delivered to pubs in perfect condition, we designed our own lorries that always keep our casks at cellar temperature, whatever the weather. They keep our beers between 10 and 12 degrees, allowing for the correct conditioning that gives Landlord its clean and crisp flavour. So however near or far from the brewery you are, you’re always going to get that taste of Taylor’s.

All for that taste of Taylor’s

Norfolk Nips | From the Editors

Stig’s Words Every year the issues of Nips come and go and I have to think of something original to say for each of them. I guess I could just re-hash the diatribe of twelve months ago as it is unlikely that anyone remembers it, plus it would probably still apply!

By the time you read this several things will be recent history, the National Winter Ales festival and fringe will have been a triumph/disaster (delete as necessary) in Norwich. The many CAMRA branches will have made their Good Beer Guide selections, causing (embargoed till September) consternation amongst local landlords. Various early beer festivals will have happened and unfortunately some more pubs will have been lost. Its all so awful isn’t it…” Life, don’t talk to me about life”. One of the advantages of being a pessimist is that you are never disappointed by the out come of anything.

I was slightly surprised when in response to Tim’s broad minded appeal to the original ethos of CAMRA in the last issue a beer blogger quoted his words using the phrase “granddad” to refer to the author and said it would turn off anyone under 40 wanting to join CAMRA, I could go into the comparative real ages of the two authors but I’m not going to use such Trumpesque tactics.

So I’ll just say this: I joined CAMRA when I was twenty seven about the same time Tim did (we are the same age), I joined at a beer festival like many others but became active because I believed that real ale was a valid style of brewing and dispense. Pubs are a very important, in fact indispensable part of the scene because cask ale is only possible with their existence.

There was plenty of talk of details such as cask breathers etc, much of which came from members well under the “granddad” zone, some of which was intensely pedantic and might I say often boring. However this didn’t

stop me or other folk in my age group joining CAMRA and supporting it. All organisations with any kind of aim have their dogma and not joining a church because they believe in God and you don’t would be a very valid one.

Obviously CAMRA is not a religion and even they change with time but not one of them is currently trying to recruit card carrying atheists.

When smooth keg beers were fashionable or alchopops, shots plus white cider, did CAMRA feel the need to embrace them? No. Apparently if something is “hand crafted” then that’s different, but craft beer is still essentially part of a trendy hipster culture like long beards, tattoos, woolly hats and (honestly) customised old BMW motorcycles.

As I have always said people can drink anything they want, indeed I travel a lot and drink a lot of continental beers but they are of their country’s or region’s tradition and sometimes pasteurised. CAMRA has been the defining force in maintaining a cask tradition in Britain and if it has achieved its aims and become irrelevant then it won’t survive, maybe the thirst for a struggle (sorry) among younger drinkers has evaporated, or as an organisation we are seen too much as part of the industry these days rather than the group of concerned consumers we once were. Maybe we’re so concerned with beer festivals and awards we have forgotten the big C in CAMRA, campaign. Perhaps a bit less schmoose and a bit more boose are called for!

So basically I’m happy with evolution just not revolution.

If you think there is still work to do then get active or join us in the first place if not I’m sure Jeff has some moustache wax to spare!

Stig. (owner of a beard, several chunky jumpers and 3 BMW bikes!)

Spring 2017 | 11

Norfolk Nips | Award Presentation

National Presentation for Railway Arms in Downham Market This latest award is for us of course tinged with more than a hint of sadness as we have unfortunately had to close within the past few weeks following the collapse of difficult negotiations with our landlord’s agent over a proposed rent increase that was for us unaffordable.

Following on from the success of being selected as CAMRA’s (Campaign for Real Ale) Regional Cider Pub of the Year, the Railway Arms at Downham Market was judged to be one of the best four cider pubs in country in the National Cider Pub of the year 2016 competition.

The railway used to regularly sell 7 or 8 ciders and perries and, when possible, include local products amongst their range but, unfortunately, circumstances arose which meant the pub had to close before their award could be presented and The Kings’s Arms at Shouldham kindly offered to host a presentation for the award to Ian, Lesley and Callum Pinches, who ran the Railway Arms over the years.

Ian, Lesley and Callum Pinches said “Knowing the company that The Railway Arms has kept in CAMRA’s annual Cider Pub of the Year competition over the years, we have always been (and continue to be so) much humbled by the evident high regard that our little micro-pub has been viewed by those who have undertaken the many and various unannounced visits to us.

On the upside however - what a way to bow out - being viewed as one of the best four Cider Pubs in the country for the third time in four years - what can we say other than a huge thank you; to our staff, to CAMRA (all involved from our local Branch upwards), to our customers who came from near and far, to our suppliers (special mention should be made of the Downham Cider Company, Cromwell Cider, The Small Beer Company and Adnams - all of whom have been so supportive and have produced or supplied products of the highest quality) - and to the very many people who have offered such kind words over the past few days and weeks.

Andrea Briers, Chair of CAMRA’s Cider and Perry Committee and East Anglia Regional Director said, “The Railway Arms was a worthy winner of all their awards and it is very sad that they have had to close. The loss of this very special pub leaves a large gap in the cider and perry market in West Norfolk”.

At the presentation Andrea also surprised Ian and Callum with a special award from the East Anglia Region. Over the years they have given great support to East Anglian cider producers and promoted their products and they were presented a certificate to recognise their efforts.

Thanks are due to the Kings Arms in Shouldham for hosting the presentation and we would like to wish Ian and Lesley success in their new venture at the Historic Sports Car Collection at Tottenhill.

Spring 2017 | 13

Around Breweries News from the Brewery Liaison Coordinator After a brief break at the Christmas period, breweries have started this year with lots of enthusiasm and news.

We had to say sadly farewell to Jo C’s, who after seven successful years has decided to stop brewing and sell the brewery premises to Boudicca. She said in a message to all her customers on her website, that after years of hard working and brilliant achievement had decided to say goodbye to brewing, as what started as a hobby ended up being a 24/7 job, and thanked everyone for the support through all the years and wished the very best to Boudicca.

Norfolk Brewhouse have been extremely busy as they will be featuring one of the bars in the National Winter Ales Festival (NWAF) at The Halls from the 21st to the 25th February. They have two new beers, a deep and rich Orange Stout at 4.5%, and Five Candles, an amber 5.0% brewed with five malts and five hops celebrating their five years in the brewing industry.

They have also announced the arrival of their new brewery manager, Bruce Ash, who is also a beer sommelier, and who worked for Woodforde’s for several years.

Also featuring a bar at NWAF are Woodforde’s, Lacon’s and Green Jack. Lacon’s have been very busy promoting their beers, if you travel by train to London you can now enjoy your journey sampling Quell, their 5.4% American IPA in a can. In February look for Jack Valentine a 4.2% brew celebrating Valentine’s day, if you like beers with a extreme bitter finish, this will be a perfect pint for you!

After a well-deserved Christmas break down under, Golden Triangle are back with a new brew available soon, Shenanigans, a nice 5.2% rounded milk stout, yes you are reading correctly, a milk stout! It will be launch at The Plasterers on the 22nd February from 19.00 onwards.

14 | Spring 2017

Last but not least, we have to congratulate several Norfolk breweries, who have won awards in the Champion Beer of East Anglia competition. Winter’s were the big winners, with a gold for Winter’s Mild, a fantastic pint and very well deserved - a regular tipple of mine in my local! The other winners were Humpty Dumpty with a bronze for their cracking Christmas Crack 7.0% in the Barley Wines/Strong Ales category.

In the Old Ales/ Strong Milds Category Wolf got the silver with Woild Moild and Woodforde’s the bronze with Norfolk Nog. And Grain won a total of four awards, with silver medals in the Golden Ales for 3.1.6, and Slate in the Porters group, and bronze medals for Blonde Ash in the Speciality category and Oak in the Bitter category.

Oli Fernandez

Multi-Award Winning Pub

Open from Midday Everyday Fresh home cooked food Local suppliers used where possible

Good selection of speciality Gin, Whisky & Rum Large Beer Garden

Upcoming Events Real Ale, Cider, and Music Festivals during the Spring (May 26th-28th) and Summer (August 25th-28th) Bank Holiday weekends, with acts including: Danny James, James Summerhill, Those Darned Mouldy Figs, DC Wilson Band, Time Machine and more TBC Tuesdays Ukele Group & Games nights, Pub quizzes every Thursday night.

3rd Sunday of every month Open Mic night.

Check our website and Facebook page to stay updated through the summer

The Green Dragon, Wymondham

Brewing up expansion plans Pictured inside The Norfolk Brewhouse are Rachel Holliday (left) Bruce Ash ( centre) and David Holliday The appointment of a new brewery manager looks set to bring added innovation and variety as The Norfolk Brewhouse celebrates five years in business and embarks on the next stage of its development.

Although a relative newcomer, The Norfolk Brewhouse, an award-winning brewery based in Hindringham, North Norfolk has established itself a reputation not only for producing fine ales and lagers, but also in promoting the provenance of Norfolk. Little surprise therefore that in their search for the right member to join their small team, of just five, they chose someone who is Norfolk through and through, appointing multi award-winning Bruce Ash, who has spent 29 years at Norfolk’s longest established brewery – Woodfordes.

David Holliday, who founded the Brewhouse with his wife Rachel, explained the expansion plans and what the new role of brewery manager will bring to the business: “We are so excited to welcome Bruce to the team, his wealth of experience in brewing will allow us to develop the business and make further investment in equipment and production capacity.”

“We are passionate about ale, and also passionate about supporting pubs, not just because they are our customers but because they play such an active role in community life.

The appointment of a new brewery manager looks set to bring added innovation and variety as The Norfolk Brewhouse celebrates five years in business and embarks on the next stage of its development.

If we can support them by providing an everchanging and interesting range of beers – only made available to pubs – then at least we are doing our bit.”

“Bruce’s experience and enthusiasm for brewing will mean that while we continue with our established beers – Bruce can develop an exciting new range of beers and manage the brewery’s expansion through new markets across Norfolk and East Anglia.”

“However global domination is not in our plans! Our ability to create new beers and be instantly responsive to new opportunities is down to our small size, we are flexible and adaptable – and we never want to lose that.”

Bruce is thrilled to be part of the plans, and relishes the challenge of joining a team a fraction of the size that he is used to working with: “The craft beer market is so exciting at the moment – new beers spring up almost daily and the customer is offered so much choice. Joining The Norfolk Brewhouse will allow me to express the creativity in beer design and help promote Norfolk as a whole.”

“Norfolk is such a key part of the team’s philosophy – I guess the clue is in the name – and that really attracted me to what they are trying to achieve.”

Spring 2017 | 17

Who’s Brewing?

In the brewing chair is Alex Simpson, Head Brewer, Panther, Unit 1, Collers Way, Reepham, Norfolk, NR10 4SW. We thought it was going to be Martin James but big changes going on in the brewery.

What did you do before brewing?

I started in music technology engineering and was involved in custom manufacturing of bulk liquids. There were lots of different shapes and like polypins up to 10,000 litres in scale which now helps me with our cask fresh containers. I tried saving up for a music studio but it didn’t happen.

What got you into commercial brewing?

I worked opposite Martin James and noticed he was opening a brewery.

18 | Spring 2017

I helped out at weekends and we got the brewery started which used to be the Reepham Brewery. It is now is the oldest brewing site still in use in the county. I had not brewed before and noted how passionate he was about brewing. I started reading more into it and I was here for three years at the beginning. I then went to Dark Star, West Sussex as Technical Brewer for just over two years. Due to family reasons I came back to Norfolk in December. I asked Martin about a job and he said he had a big project going with the new bottling line and he brought me in as Head Brewer. I’m doing all the brewing and trying to update all the recipes.

It is a five barrel plant and we can max up to seven. We brew two or three times a week and it will be nice to revisit old recipes and maybe modernise them.

Norfolk Nips | Who’s Brewing?

How do you go about choosing the style of beers you brew?

We have a range of nine beers and I want to condense to a core range which will allow for more seasonal products. I really like traditional beers especially English and German. I’m trying to bring our products to have that flavour impact on the modern palette. We are going to have a core range of Golden 3.7%, Red 4.1%, Black 4..5%, and Beast of the East 5.5%. I intend to bring out a new beer at the end of February which will be an American Pale Ale. Our Golden is quite americanesque in the hop variety in terms of the citrous flavour. The new beer I would like to make more stoned fruit and a bit stronger. I want to do seasonals like a Ruby Mild and Milk Stout. We used to produce a 3.3% Mild but I would like something a little stronger as we now have the bottling line. The seasonal products will be fun and I can split between cask and bottles when required.

How do you choose your ingredients?

We are blessed with having Crisp Maltings only 15 minutes away. We use Maris Otter, Wheat and quite a lot of Rye in our beers which gives them a nice finish. With hops and yeast I kind of move between what is traditional for the style and flavour profile. Our Red is traditional in the grist. I start with English Hops and then finish with some nice American Cascade. We use may varieties of hops, mainly English, Challenger, Goldings etc. I use New Zealand hops for the Beast of the East and American for the Golden.

I use German hops for the Wheat beers. So our Honey is not too bitter I use a blend of German and New Zealand. The Black is straight English hops. The yeast is a traditional English style which goes into the Black and Red. With Golden we have now introduced American Ale yeast with the English so we are trying to push the Golden to the new wave route to possibly introducing an English Pale Ale. Are you planning any changes to the brewery?

This year is a big change for the brewery with the only real ale bottling plant in Norfolk. We were able to get assistance from the EU Rural

Development and will be able to contract brew for other breweries. It can bottle 1,000 bottles an hour. The breweries deliver in 1,000 litre boxes with fermenting sugars and yeasts in the bottle. So true real ale. We can shift a lot of production to bottles but the core beers will always be available in casks. We are also going to push the innovation in terms of Hopstar 0.5% beer which is still bottle conditioned Real Ale. We have spent a lot of time trying to produce an alcohol free beer that has a good taste to it. I do not think anybody else has done this yet.

You do seem to have won a few awards over the years?

We have a number of awards and hopefully we can add to them this year as we have updated the recipes of the beers. I'm sure our customers will like the changes.

What is your favourite Panther beer?

Currently I will say the Golden but I do swing between the Red as well. As we have updated the recipes I’m really happy with the finish of both beers which gives a great floral nose.

What is your favourite Local, National and International beer?

Locally I really rate Lacons beers and also Redwell who make some really good beers.

Nationally I would say Harviestoun Ola Dubh.

Internationally I do love German beers but my favourite at the moment is Firestone Walkers Easy Jack from California. It is great session beer that is extremely well balanced. They export a lot of cans to the UK so look out for it.

Finally is there anything you want to add?

I want to say a big thanks to everyone in the brewery scene in Norfolk and to everyone who supported us and continue to do so. We are trying to put out some new products which we feel they will like. Finally thank to all the publicans who continue to keep our beers in good order and great condition for our customers.

Graham Freeman Warren Wordsworth - Photos

Spring 2017 | 19

20 | Spring 2017

Norfolk Nips | Bird’s eye view

Bird’s Eye View: Blonde Moments I’m writing this article at the end of January, hoping that 2017 turns out to be a better year than the last. 2016 was a crazy year, for sure.

But putting celebrity deaths, momentous political change, and my inexplicable wait gain over the Christmas period aside for a minute, let’s look back to a couple of items of women-related beer news that caught my eye in 2016.

Mallorca brewery Sargantana came out with a beer aimed specifically aimed at women called… … Woman. Marketed in a very attractive purple bottle with the slogan “For you Woman, you’re special”, the beer is a ‘lighter, softer, less alcoholic’ brew for the ladies. Really??? The brewers call it an ‘exquisite’ ale. So is it just women that want exquisite beer? Don’t blokes demand that too? And am I such a delicate little flower that I can only sup light, soft beers? (are you having a laugh?). Sargantana also released a beer called Queen especially for the LGBT community. It has a very nice rainbow design on the label. Lovely.

I was more impressed by the story of the Brazilian brewery that launched Feminista Red Ale, a brand that aims to challenge the sexist marketing of beer. The packaging is simple, with a symbol for gender equality on the label. The brewery chose an Irish red ale instead of a lighter, softer, ‘feminine’ beer usually associated with women (see above!). Founder and creative director Thais Fabris explained the thinking behind it: “The typical Brazilian beer ad shows a semi-naked standard-beauty woman being harassed by men. She is either the waitress in the bar, a girl on the beach, or a prize the men get for drinking that beer. The effects of the messages we create go way beyond driving sales, they drive behaviour. Grab a feminist beer, join the conversation and make a toast to equality.” I’ll certainly drink to that.

It’s been a while since we’ve had overtly sexist images on our beer pumps locally (please tell me if you know otherwise), and I think nationally we’ve seen a decline in the offensive marketing of ale. But it still exists. I recently came across Broxbourne Brewery’s Cowgirl Gold and Gardener’s Delight (a bottled cider). Both display images that many women will find offensive, and let’s be honest, it’s all a bit 1970s, isn’t it? I don’t mind a bit of Carry On humour (“Nurse Bell? Ding Dong!”), and I appreciate there is a fine line between what is funny and what is offensive, but marketing based on gender stereotypes that offend, objectify women, and encourage harassment have no place in today’s leisure industry.

I did spot a lovely pump clip the other day in The Beehive, Norwich, for Posh Blonde, a 4.3% golden ale from Grantham’s Oldershaw Brewery.

The image featured an elegantly turned-out woman with a fine hat and black gloves. Admittedly, the woman is a blonde and she is holding one of those ‘girly’ stemmed glasses I can’t stand, but hey, it looked classy. And cool.

Oldershaw have a whole range of Blonde ales, and I must say, the pump clips are all very tasteful. Just like their beers. Here in Norfolk we have some wonderful women in the beer industry. Let’s drink a toast to them all.

Cheers!

The Beer Bird Follow me on Facebook: The Norfolk Beer Bird My blog: thenorfolkbeerbird.blogspot.co.uk/

Spring 2017 | 21

Norfolk Nips

Thetford Developments This is the time of year when CAMRA branches go through the selection process for Good Beer Guide entries so that the guide can be published in September.

Some pubs are perennially included due to a long period of good management and of course excellent beer quality. However because there are rules about inclusion which state that a change of management disqualifies a pub from consideration for inclusion until the new regime has had a year to establish its continued commitment to real ale and its previous high standards (the only exception would be if a pub was passed on to a publican with a previous “track record” at another establishment).

Unfortunately in the case of many branches it is very easy to loose contact with pubs which have had to be “deselected” as it were. A good example of this is the Albion in Thetford which was in the Good Beer Guide for many years having been run by the same family since the seventies.

I reported on the landlady Amanda’s sad departure in Nips a couple of years ago. The Albion changed hands in September 2015 and is now run by Andrew, David and Ashley. The focus has been initially to regain the lost trade caused at least in part by the opening of a Wetherspoons in the town centre (one of the virtues of the “old” Albion was always its low 22 | Spring 2017

beer prices). This seems to have been achieved with the pub enjoying a lively atmosphere even on a winter lunchtime.

The great advantage a pub like the Albion has over a Wetherspoon style operation is that its local clientele and comfortable size make it an excellent place to chat not just with people you know but also with strangers. The interior helps with this as the bar area, which was heavily refurbished by former owners Greene King has mellowed in colour from fresh IKEA timber to a darker more traditional feel. In addition new furniture has been acquired including a set of very nice tables with an Albion Wherry design on the tops produced by local business Wooden it Bee. Ashley, whom I quizzed about the pub, told me she had formerly worked at the Albion and so had a familiarity with the old regulars, which must have helped in attracting them back.

Interestingly the Albion does not provide food but has continued its tradition of providing menus for local takeaways so you can eat your meal at the Albion. If you want a pub meal they tend to recommend the Black Horse (not far) and find folk will often return later for a few beers. Great efforts are being made to expand the appeal of the Albion beyond its current customer base with pub sport teams including four darts teams (in fact a new dartboard was

Norfolk Nips | Albion, Thetford being installed during my visit!). There are also fortnightly quizzes and karaoke alternating with live acoustic music sessions.

Fundraising events are held and local groups are choosing the pub as a meeting venue, the latest being LGBT plus Thetford. There are plans to freshen up the popular outside drinking area at the front of the pub and a nice beer garden already exists at the rear.

Four real ales rotate through the three handpumps which are about to be expanded to six so real beer is still a priority.

It would appear the team at the Albion have combined the traditional pub with a modern inclusive venue for the whole local community, amazing what can be done.

I wish them luck in the future and hope that they will find their way back into the good beer guide in due course.

As I said it is easy to lose touch with developments at an ex beer guide pub our branches active membership is small and our area of responsibility covers a third of Norfolk! We do what we can but need members and pub regulars to help keep us informed. How many more pubs are developing well without our knowledge? We can’t visit all the non or ex-beer guide pubs to find out, so keep us informed!

I’m sure the same is true for the other Norfolk branches.

In another Thetford development the Black Horse is having a St Georges beer festival 21st – 23rd April, 20 beers plus music and a new gable end mural, maybe I’ll see some of you there?

If you are a publican or pub owner in the West Norfolk area who has ideas or a policy which will make your pub the kind of real ale venue which might qualify for the good beer guide in future, please contact us we would be happy to meet you!

Spring 2017 | 23

Letters to the Editor The revitalisation of CAMRA and the status of of ‘craft beer’ still ignites fierce debate. Here are two passionate readers responding to Tim Spitzers letter from issue 179.

I read with alarm on page five of your Winter 2016/7 edition the news that out of all the respondents to the second survey in CAMRA’s “revitalisation” campaign, only 3% were under 30. This underlines the huge problem CAMRA seems to have now in attracting and involving younger beer drinkers, ironic given that the campaign was founded by four young men in their mid-20s.

However, any under-30 beer drinker who read the rant by Tim Spitzer on page 57 of the same issue against “craft” beer would have immediately decided that if Tim was typical of CAMRA members today, then the campaign holds no welcome for them. As I

read it, I found myself thinking: “You really don’t get it, do you, grandad?” – more irony, since I am 64 and quite possibly older than Tim is.

I have no doubt Tim has done a huge amount of work over the years on behalf of cask ale, and that he is one of the many volunteers to whom CAMRA has a huge debt for all their campaigning efforts. But like too many people, I fear, he has a totally mistaken understanding of why CAMRA was founded: to improve beer quality, and nothing else. The concept of “real ale” did not even exist when the original “Campaign for the Revitalisation of Ale” began in 1971. The term “real ale” was invented a couple of years later, and a definition then invented to fit the expression.

“Have we all forgotten the fight against Watney’s Red Barrel and the big national brewers?”, Tim cries. Tim, mate, Watney’s Red disappeared 38 years ago, before very many of today’s craft beer drinkers were born. You would have to be 56 today to have (legally) drunk a pint of it in a British pub. Today’s young drinkers haven’t “forgotten” Red Barrel, they never knew it in the first place: it's totally irrelevant to them, and anyone shouting on about it in the context of modern craft beer is inviting justified ridicule, like some elderly figure shouting: “I fought a war for you, you know!”

Martyn Cornell, Middlesex

24 | Spring 2017

down a route Why do we even need to go Tim by e ons resp the t por I went into a bar I would like to sup leading to such confusion? the on n itio add ter win of weeks ago. r ple you Spitzer in on the South Coast a cou r. Whilst not bee ft cra ed 4 handpumps call had so y of the t ject sub s On my previous visi wa I rs yea of ber num a they had a Craft active in CAMRA for all now out of use. Instead of our ers mb me r nde fou l ina products - 5 from one of the orig Beer Section containing 7 ined my inta ma e hav and s keg Tetleys and plu nch Bra ries local don Brewe s also a member small Lon ed out of serv all h oot membership ever since. I wa John Smiths Sm the all d nde atte and b Clu s presence of of the Bystander the same fonts. I queried the e. issu last d ere Craft Beer cov the ls in tiva Beer Fes Tetleys and John Smiths ed to call s wa er nag Ma Section and the ke no apology I am a traditionalist and ma ry. que answer my gned against all for that. In the 70’s I campai of s like the by ed r was any Ale keg beer whether produc He advised me that Craft Bee rs we Bre nt nde epe Ind !! Out of Watneys or by small brewed exclusively in the UK ugh the tho n eve keg to ted er 5 brews. It ver who also con interest I tried one of the oth d the higher use ly ted oub than what I und rs ter we bet Bre no small d and fizzy to by Peter Wells. was col 0's. Like Tim, 197 the in inst quality ingredients referred aga campaigned tten in wri is Ale l Rea of seems to ion it init d To me the def if CAMRA goes down the roa More d. nge cha be of the s not st ber mu num e stone and be heading, I and larg lic understand h their feet wit e vot will ip, importantly the general pub ersh current memb a of out es com t Craft tha r from that Real Ale is bee Trendies move on rel. How and when the bar the ver ate from t wh igh or stra or Gin ed handpump Rhubarb flavour able to explain to Beer to left to be ng will goi on we sati are ani zes org bla the the next fad is - our ing out of a ly Peter Wells and the public that one beer com in a sorry state. Alternative the but ale l rea is bar the on suggests, form ice conical dev his followers could, as Tim of an identical out ing com even got a name it to I've t on. nex one their own organisati . lly Average device is not Real Ale for them - Campaign for Rea the slippery Products. We are already on ever has ody nob are aw n a champion am bee I g as As far slope. Harveys have lon apostles for it ducing keg pro sed cea defined Craft Beer and the ing of cask ale hav line that . ago rs yea 17 seem to concentrate on the tely ple beer com the time. To supports their argument at the Brewery e of their some it refers to the size of They are now switching som w Dog is Craft Bre ? out t tha 3 new craft e duc pro to how do you sort keg to production lson Mo by out ght bou t and as far are rke y ma the Beer but if beers to get a slice of that e craft beer is ed Coors and maintain the sam call so the as I can see most of ft Cra be to se cea y the brews ctly the keg, bottled or canned - exa Beer? To some it is local d against since gne pai cam e hav we ts produc ss sake folks production - that already dne goo For CAMRA was formed. ch rwi No in g Do w . Do you rules out Bre wake up before it is too late get the 60’s and 70’s we the in then? More and more we t tha ieve bel ly serious s on ide dec o wh lity qua nal ales and on itio argument went overnight from trad than one re mo of k ert? It was a thin des can I ys ? tne lity Wa qua breweries to the toub und and d like ll we is l change in popular ale that drip feed process of gradua to me is but ts ien red ing d wery takeovers goo s bre edly contain production methods and As I said - who lity. qua in in!! ing aga lack pen and hap nd bla - exactly what will tried a few so decides? Personally I have Brew Dog and John Budds called Craft Beers including an understateis ed ress imp not s wa I to say Spring 2017 | 25 ment.

Norfolk Nips | Logo competition

40th Norwich Beer Festival needs a logo!

The annual competition has just been launched by members of the Norwich & Norfolk branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) to find the new logo for the 40th Norwich Beer Festival, taking place from Monday 23th October until Saturday 28th October 2017.

The deadline for competition entrants is Monday 27th March 2017 and Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA are looking for designs to celebrate the 40th year of the October Festival, with the ‘40’ being a prominent part of the design, as well as depicting the familiar dragon.

Launching the logo competition is one of the first tasks for the beer festival and the winning design will be one of the prime marketing tools for the festival and will be featured on the collectible festival glasses.

The festival’s team of organisers have already started to plan the 2017 October Beer Festival when 300 volunteers will come together again to launch the 40th Norwich Beer Festival.

Rob Derbridge, Festival Organiser, said ‘We are hopeful that we will receive an extra large number entries for our 40th beer festival. We always receive entries on various themes, although they must include a dragon in some form, but the entrants can choose a setting or background of their choice. This year we are looking for entries which will also celebrate the 40th year. We always look forward to having a tough decision in selecting the successful winner’.

As always, the most important element is that a dragon must be included within the design, although abstract is acceptable, also a maximum five colours (four is preferable), including any black or white parts of the design. The 2017 logo should also celebrate the 40th year of the Norwich Beer Festival. Entrants are asked to specify "Adult" or "Under-18" and include their name, contact details and age (if under-18) on the back of the paper design or within the email.

The main winner will be judged by the organising committee at the planning and will receive £100 along with a selection of merchandising at the festival featuring their logo. There will be two runner-up prizes of complementary festival tickets and also the best under-18 entrant will win a book voucher.

Emailed entries should be in a computer readable format (JPEG, TIFF, PNG, PDF, Postscript, GIMP, Inkscape, Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw); no MS Word document files please.

Entries (one per sheet or email and with a maximum size A4) can be sent to ‘2017 40th Norwich Beer Festival Logo Competition’, 4 Rectory Close, Newton Flotman, Norwich, Norfolk, NR15 1PZ or email to beerfestival@norwichcamra.org.uk by Monday 27th March 2017 at the latest please.

All entries will become the property of the Norwich & Norfolk branch of the Campaign for Real Ale and may be used for display and publicity purposes.

Spring 2017 | 27

Norfolk Nips

The Gatehouse Pub 391 Dereham Road, Norwich NR5 8QJ Tel: 01603 620340

FOUR REAL ALES Wednesday Irish Folk Music ursday Folk & Singing Music Friday & Saturday Live Music Sunday Folk Music

Large garden overlooking the River Wensum OPEN: Mon - urs 12-11 Fri & Sat 12-12 • Sunday 12-11 28 | Spring 2017

Norfolk Nips | From the Archives

Issue Number 70 December 93/ January 94 Spring to Life Why not spring to life and join the CAMRA Winter Ale Trail. It is really quite simple if you enjoy a drink and like to travel around the County then this is for you. Visit 25 pubs and get your card signed in each one and win a trail T-shirt or sweatshirt. For the true drinking stalwarts who visit all 40 pubs there is a Grand Prize Draw in April 1994. The city pubs taking part, Trafford Arms, Eaton Cottage, Hog In Armour, Tap & Spile, Reindeer, Red Lion (St Georges), Steampacket, Horse & Dray, Fat Cat, Rosary, Rose Tavern, Sir Garnet Wolseley, Mustard Pot, Coach & Horses (Thorpe Road), Freemasons.

Ed- Does anyone know if Pete Wells did all the 40 pubs?

Steady Pints The Mermaid in Elsing has replaced its Bass with Adnams Broadside. After its chequered identity crisis as the Grocer's Ghost and Franco's the Festival House Norwich has been given back its original name by its new publican Chris Hiles who also runs the Oval on Dereham Road. If the Grocer's Ghost thought it could use bouncers to turn away customers who were not dressed properly then it is obvious it was going to fail. Good Luck Chris and don't forget to put some Real Ales on.

Forbes Brewery, Oulton Broad has finally re-opened as Green Jack Brewing Company by David Burd and Tim Dunford. Talking of breweries Ken Duval and Rogers Abrahams will be

starting a new venture at Tivetshall St Mary called Mardle Hall Brewery. Colin Earthy has returned to the Kings Head, Thorpe St Andrew and will be dispensing Flowers Original, Marstons Pedigree, Wethereds, Boddingtons and Speckled Hen. He welcomes you to the cosy intimate atmosphere of his charming riverside pub.

It’s arrived – the new Norwich Real Ale Guide.

The third volume of the Norfolk Real Ale Guide covering the Norwich area was launched at the Trafford Arms Norwich. The latest edition covers all the pubs hotels and bars open to the public whether or not they sell real ale and will sell at only 1.50 per copy. It was launched at the Trafford Arms, with a picture of Don Dunkin, Chris Higgins and Warren Wordsworth (with moustache)

Beers of The Festival 1993 Champion – Reepham Velvet Stout Class Winners MILD – Woodfordes Mardlers BEST BITTER – Adnams BB PREMIUM BITTER – Green Dragon Bridge St Bitter STRONG ALE – West Coast Brewery Yakima Grande Pale Ale BARLEY WINE – Reindeer Storer Strong OLD/STOUT/PORTER – Reepham Velvet Stout CIDER – Kingfisher Norfolk

Norfolk Nips

COAST ROAD, WALCOTT, NORFOLK NR12 OPE Telephone

(01692) 650371 FREE HOUSE

Proprietor since 1989: STEVE BULLIMORE

OPEN FOR FOOD & DRINKS ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, 11am - 11pm Food available all day until 10.30pm 10% off food and drink on production of CAMRA membership card

FOUR REAL ALES & CIDER www.lighthouseinn.co.uk 30 | Spring 2017

The Rise of the Machi One of the dominant themes of the capitalist system is to reduce labour costs. Whilst this may encourage innovation, with the invention of machines that can replace workers, it’s tough on those that lose their jobs. Many have tried to hold back the tide, from the 19th century Luddites, the miners in the Thatcher era to the railway workers currently disrupting services in the south of England, but all these efforts appear futile. However one group of workers have so far fared better than most. Service workers are hard to replace, and although the supermarkets have done their best with self-scanning checkouts, the jobs of bartenders has so far seemed secure, but even here the old ways are under threat.

Just before Christmas a London bar introduced the world’s first contactless self-service beer pump. The drinker selects his choice from the menu, holds his payment card to the base of the pump and his drink is dispensed into the glass. It looks like it was a one off gimmick to generate a bit of publicity for the payment card company, but is there a long term future for this idea?

It is not the first machine to dispense drinks.

The technology for serving drinks in cans and bottles, as well as hot beverages such as coffee is widely used and accepted. Milk is dispensed in coin operated machines in the streets of Ljubljana, which could easily be converted to contactless. So is the bar of the future likely to be populated with machines?

“Automatic beer dispense has several problems. If you have ever seen a barman struggling with a pump spewing foam everywhere, you will appreciate that the technology is not a simple as delivering milk.”

Automatic beer dispense has several problems. If you have ever seen a barman struggling with a pump spewing foam everywhere, you will appreciate that the technology is not a simple as delivering milk. In fact the demonstration pump was limited to serving lager for this reason. There is also the age question. A barman can judge whether a customer is likely

ines to be under age. In Japan, where just about everything for tobacco to pornography magazines can be bought from machines in the street, this problem is overcome by placing stickers on the machine advising that they are not to be used by under 18s. Some might have reservations as to the effectiveness of such an approach in Britain.

It is also an offence under section 141 of the 2003 Licencing Act to sell or attempt to sell alcohol to a person who is drunk, which explains the calm and welcoming atmosphere on our city streets around midnight on a Friday. Can we expect breathalyser tubes to be attached to the machines to check the sobriety of the purchaser? Perhaps each stag party will employ a teetotaller to order the drinks all night. Despite all these reservations, I can see the machines beginning to make an appearance at pop festivals and the like in the near future, and they may well be combined with other technology which has just been trialled in a branch of KFC in Beijing. Here, facial recognition software checks the customer and, based on the purchasing history of a similar demographic, suggests the most suitable meal. I am pretty sure that I would be offered a pint of cask beer, but I suppose I could keep some moustache wax and a beanie hat in my pocket in case I wanted a glass of overpriced keg ‘craft’ beer.

My main worry would be if someone went to buy a round. Would the bar wife have to wear one of those Jamie Vardy style masks with my image on to avoid coming back to the table with a sweet sherry for me?

An edited version of this appeared in the Lynn News.

Jeff

Norfolk Nips

34 | Spring 2017

Norfolk Nips

Hove, actually A beery weekend in the city of Brighton and Hove.

I know Brighton quite well. My other half hails from Sussex so we’ve spent a fair bit of time on the south coast in recent years. We’ve found great pubs, some real gems, with favourites being The Evening Star, The Basketmakers and The Mitre. On our last visit, we were staying in Hove, the ‘posh bit’ to the West of the city.

Hove originally developed around the impressive Brunswick Square, and in Victorian times grew to become the polar opposite of Brighton. Where Brighton was showy and a tad seedy, Hove was eminently respectable.

When accused of living in Brighton, Hove residents allegedly replied “Hove, actually”.

Neither of us knows Hove very well, so armed with our CAMRA beer app we went in search of new pubs, new beers and new adventures.

Our first stop, before we’d even reached the coast, was Dark Star’s new pub, the Lockheart

Tavern in Haywards Heath, about 30 minutes or so from Brighton. It is a nice bright venue but more of a bar than a pub, certainly a far cry from The Evening Star in Brighton, the jewel in the Dark Star crown. The Lockheart has cask and keg beer but it seemed to be bottled beers that most punters were drinking on our visit. To be fair they had an impressive selection, not just their own ales but also beers from Magic Rock, Wild Beer, Siren and many more. But pricey! A 330ml bottle of Dark Continued > Spring 2017 | 35

Norfolk Nips

36 | Spring 2017

Norfolk Nips | Hove trip - continued Star’s Revelation would set you back £4.00, a great little place, located along Hayward’s Heath’s trendy Broadway strip. After a couple of pints of Sunburst Golden Ale (4.8%) it was time to head South.

Our first full day in Hove was bitterly cold, so an ideal day to warm up was in the pub. Our first hostelry was the Westbourne, a re-vamped Victorian building with a great selection of local ales. The pub has two bars, one of which, the Cider Shack, was closed for refurbishment.

Despite this, the pub still served half a dozen local ciders from the main bar, along with a good range of cask ales. The lovely Josie served us great pints of Downlands Old (4.4%) and Bedlam Golden Ale (4.2%), together with snacks of parsnip bhajis and cheesy chips, a splendid way to spend our first afternoon by the seaside.

Our next port of call was The Watchmakers Arms near Hove station. I’ve been fascinated reading about micro-pubs but until now hadn’t visited one. This was a first. The pub has been converted from a washing-machine repair shop, although in days past the premises did indeed house a watchmaker. I guess The WashingMachine Repairman’s Arms just doesn’t have the same ring to it. So the pub’s theme is clocks.

There are lots of them, all over the walls. Big

clocks, small clocks, wristwatches, even a cuckoo clock. But none with the correct time! How do they call time I wonder? The venture is run by Ruth and Ali. We spoke to Ruth who came across as very passionate about pubs and local ale. As you’d expect, The Watchmakers isn’t a large pub but it is certainly not cramped. There is room for a microbrewery on the premises, and plenty of space to sit by the window and watch the world go by. Whilst the winter sun warmed us through the windows we supped Long Man Best (4%) and 360 Pale (4.2%) and pondered the exciting sausage roll menu, a wonderful pub.

That night we visited The Neptune. A good old fashioned proper boozer, a real drinkers pub.

Known to its regulars as ‘The Nep’, the pub hosts regular live music nights, more often jazz and blues by the look of things, with its walls covered with fascinating music-related posters and pictures. We arrived quite late in the evening (The Neptune is open til 1am week nights and 2am Fridays and Saturdays) and found it busy with what seemed to be a crowd of regulars. We could have stayed all night (or at least until 1.00am!), the pub was so cosy, but we had big plans for the following day. After a few pints of really quite wonderful Harvey’s Best (4%) we decided to call it a night, after vowing to return on our next visit down South.

Our second day in Brighton and Hove was a full-on day of culture and shopping. Well, more shopping than culture if I’m honest, but the city is great for both. Shopping in Brighton enabled us to visit one of our favourite pubs; The Evening Star. This is where it all began for the Dark Star Continued > Spring 2017 | 37

Norfolk Nips

38 | Spring 2017

Norfolk Nips | Hove trip - continued Brulee. Instead, I settled for that excellent session ale, Hophead (3.8%). It went down a treat and set me up for an afternoon of museums and culture. Oh, and more shopping.

Brewery back in 1994. It’s a basic pub, but massively popular with locals and real ale enthusiasts who travel from afar to visit. It is bang outside the train station so it’s just about possible to get there from Norwich for a lunchtime session! The beer selection is superb; a great range of Dark Star’s own ales as you’d expect, together with other interesting beers from near and far, including a great array of bottled and canned beers to take away. It was the middle of the day so not the best time to sample one of my favourite winter beers; Crème

For a big beery evening (well it was our last night!) we chose The Mitre. It isn’t in the CAMRA guide but don’t let that stop you visiting. It is another ‘locals’ pub, tucked away in a quiet back street off the London Road; no frills, just a friendly welcome and good beer. It’s a Harvey’s pub so it was Harvey’s we drank. The Best Bitter (4%) was in tip top condition, as was Armada (4.5%) and the Old Ale (4.3%). This is a pub we visit often, the beer is always excellent and the chip shop along the road is good too.

And then it was time to come home. Unfortunately, there was no time on this trip to pop in to The Victory or The Basketmakers Arms, another couple of pubs that we’ve got to know well over the last few years, but there’s always next time.

The Beer Bird

CROWN FREE HOUSE THE BANNINGHAM

We are in it!

Traditional Country Pub and Restaurant •5 Real Ales•Great Food• •Sheltered Gardens Colby Road, Banningham, Aylsham, NR11 7DY

01263 733534

www.banninghamcrown.co.uk

Spring 2017 | 39

Norfolk Nips

Subscriptions We have a growing number of postal subscribers to Norfolk Nips and Cask Force, and I would like to send my thanks for the kind comments and best wishes from those who have renewed their subscriptions recently.

If you would like to join them in receiving the next 4 issues by post, send 10 first class stamps or ÂŁ6.50 cheque payable to West Norfolk CAMRA, 91 Tennyson Road, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 5NG. The magazine is also viewable online at issuu.com

40 | Spring 2017

Here is a current list of all the pubs in Norfolk which are part of the CAMRA LocAle scheme. New entries are in Bold.

Horseshoes, Alby Black Boys, Aldborough Crown Inn, Banningham Chequers Inn, Binham Cock Inn, Barford Kings Head, Brooke Artichoke, Broome Green Gate, Caister-on-Sea Reedcutter, Cantley Crown Inn, Catfield George Hotel, Cley-next-the-Sea Three Swallows, Cley-next-the-Sea Victory, Clenchwarton Muskett Arms, Clippesby Red Lion, Coltishall Ugly Bug Inn, Colton Albion, Cromer Cottage, Cromer Red Lion Hotel, Cromer Royal Standard, Dereham Bob Carter Centre, Drayton Royal Standard, East Dereham Queens Head, Emneth Erpingham Arms, Erpingham Bull, Fakenham Wellington, Feltwell Rampant Horse, Freethorpe Locks Inn, Geldeston Wherry, Geldeston Dock Tavern, Gorleston Mariners Compass, Gorleston Dabbling Duck, Great Massingham Barking Smack, Great Yarmouth Mariners, Great Yarmouth Oliver Twist, Great Yarmouth Red Herring, Great Yarmouth St. Johns Head, Great Yarmouth Fox & Hounds, Heacham Kings Head, Hethersett Greyhound Inn, Hickling

Pleasure Boat Inn, Hickling Swan, Hilborough Eagle, Hockham Victoria, Hockering Buck, Honingham White Hart, Hopton Brickmakers, Horsford Elm Farm Country House, Horsham St. Faith Live and Let Live, Kings Lynn Star Inn, Lessingham Swan Inn, Loddon Dog Inn, Ludham Fox and Hounds, Lyng Anchor Inn, Morston White Horse, Neatishead Relish Restaurant & Bar, Newton Flotman Railway Hotel, North Elmham Orchard Gardens, North Walsham Adam and Eve, Norwich Angel Gardens, Norwich Beehive (Leopold Rd), Norwich Bell Hotel, Norwich Cellar House, Norwich Champion, Norwich Cottage (Silver Road), Norwich Duke of Wellington, Norwich Earlham Arms, Norwich Eaton Cottage, Norwich Fat Cat and Canary, Norwich Fat Cat Tap, Norwich Fat Cat, Norwich Garden House, Norwich Jubilee, Norwich Kings Head, Norwich Lawyer, Norwich Leopard, Norwich Lollards Pit, Norwich Lord Rosebery, Norwich

Maids Head Hotel, Norwich Murderers, Norwich Plasterers Arms, Norwich Red Lion (Bishopgate), Norwich Reindeer, Norwich Rosbery, Norwich Ribs of Beef, Norwich Sir Garnet, Norwich Take 5, Norwich Temple Bar, Norwich Trafford Arms, Norwich Vine, Norwich Wig and Pen, Norwich York Tavern, Norwich Royal Oak, Poringland Ferry Inn, Reedham Ship, Reedham Kings Arms, Reepham Swan, Ringland Three Horseshoes, Roydon Lobster, Sheringham Kings Arms, Shouldham Goat, Skeyton Peddars Inn, Sporle Blue Boar, Sprowston Sprowston Manor Hotel & Country Club, Sprowston Ferry House, Surlingham Red Lion, Swaffham Lynn Arms, Syderstone Pelican Inn, Tacolneston Red Lion, Thetford Black Horse, Thetford Gunton Arms, Thorpe Market Queens Head, Thurlton White Horse, Upton Cherry Tree, Wicklewood Willow House, Watton Stag, West Acre Bell, Wiveton White Lady, Worstead Green Dragon, Wymondham

Spring 2017 | 41

Angel Gardens

Norfolk Nips

Free House

This independently run freehouse has been under the ownership of Ian Warren since 1988 and is situated on the north of the city near to Waterloo Park.

Up to NINE reasonably priced Real Ales including THREE guest ales and SIX real ciders available.

Showing all SKY and BT Sports Live entertainment every Saturday

Book now for

nday Mothering and Easter Su 96 Angel Rd, Norwich NR3 3HT

Part of the City of Ale 2017

01603 427490 www.norwichinns.com email: ikwarren-angel@tiscali.co.uk

42 | Spring 2017

“The Country Pub On The Edge of Town” Bacton Road, North Walsham NR28 0RA FREE

ACCESS

OPEN ALL DAY FIVE REAL ALES Meals Served

12noon to 2.30pm and in the evening 6.30 to 9.30pm

Bookings 01692 404800

Grab a CAMRA Discount at your local!

The following local businesses offer a discount for CAMRA members (usually on presentation of a Membership Card): Cherry Tree, Wicklewood: 30p off a pint of Buffy’s The Ugly Bug Inn, Colton: £1 off per full pint The Vine, Norwich: 10% off food and drinks (not Early Bird Menu) on Mondays Albion, Cromer: 10% off real ales, draught and bottled The Bell, Norwich: 20% off all food. 50p off a pint (with your CAMRA vouchers).

Brickmakers, Horsford: 10p off a half, 20p off a pint of real ale.

Compleat Angler, Norwich: 10% off all real ales Grange Hotel, Ormesby St. Margaret, Norwich: 10% off all real ales Green Gate, Caister-on-Sea: 20p off a pint of real ale London Tavern, Attleborough: 20p off a pint of real ale Leopard, Norwich: 10% off all real ales Lollards Pit, Norwich: 10% off

Red Lion, Drayton: 10% off Oliver Twist, Great Yarmouth: 10% off across the board - please show card before ordering Railway, North Elmham: 10% off B&B and camping Glasshouse, Norwich: 20% off all food. 50p off a pint (with your CAMRA vouchers).

Plasterers, Cowgate, Norwich: 10% off all real ales (available to all customers on Mondays) The Rose, Queen’s Rd, Norwich: 15p off pints The Rosebery, Rosebery Rd, Norwich: Selected beers at £2.50/pint on Mondays Lighthouse Inn, Walcott: 10% off all real ales

The Whiffler, Norwich: 50p off a pint (with your CAMRA vouchers) The Woolpack, Norwich: 10% off The St Andrews Brewhouse, Norwich: 10% of their own real ales If your pub or business offers a discount to CAMRA, but isn't on this list, please contact pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org .uk and let us know the details (including any restrictions).

Please note: We believe the discounts listed are offered at the time of going to press, however pubs may of course withdraw or change offers at any time!

Spring 2017 | 43

Norfolk Nips

whatpub.com Featuring over 35,000 real ale pubs

Over 96% of Britain’s real ale pubs featured

Information updated by thousands of CAMRA volunteers

Created by CAMRA who produce the UK’s best beer & pub guide

Thousands of pubs at your fingertips!

44 | Spring 2017

Norfolk Nips | CAMRA Beer Festivals

CAMRA Beer Festivals Calendar MAR 30-APRIL 1 38th Burton & S.Derbyshire CAMRA Beer & Cider Festival 30+ real ales + 30 real ciders + perries, country wines + Driver’s Bar. Tel: 01283 814730/ 07974 708132 Email: dickiemint@lineone.net Burton Upon Trent Town Hall, King Edward Place, Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire DE14 9JG 5-8 APRIL 15th Maldon Beer & Cider Festival 60 real ales + cider/ perry.

Plume School, Fambridge Rd, Maldon, CM9 6AB www.maldonanddengiecamra.org.uk 6-8 APRIL 6th Isle of Man Beer & Cider Festival 60 real ales + cider/ perry.

Villa Marina Complex, Harris Promenade, Douglas IM1 2HP www.iombeerfestival.com 19-22 APRIL East Anglian Beer and Cider Festival 100+ real ales/ ciders including East Anglian + selected UK award winners.

Apex 1 Charter Square, 1 Charter Square, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3FD. http://westsuffolk.camra.org.uk 26-29 APRIL 41st Newcastle Beer & Cider Festival 120+ cask ales, ciders/ perries, hot/cold food.

Entertainment Sat. Northumbria University Students Union Sandyford Rd, Newcastle Upon Tyne Tyne And Wear NE1 8SB. www.cannybevvy.co.uk 27-30 APRIL 23rd Reading Beer & Cider Festival 550+ beers & 200+ ciders, foreign beers & English wines.

Christchurch Meadows, George Street Caversham, Reading RG4 8BY www.readingbeerfestival.org.uk

27-30 APRIL 23rd Reading Beer & Cider Festival 550+ beers & 200+ ciders, foreign beers & English wines.

Christchurch Meadows, George Street Caversham, Reading RG4 8BY www.readingbeerfestival.org.uk 27-29 APRIL 41st Farnham Beerex 550+ beers & 200+ ciders, foreign beers & English wines.

60+ real ales + ciders, food + live entertainment. www.farnhamlions.org.uk

MAY 4-6 MAY 12th Bexley Beer Fest 85+ beers, ciders + perries.

Old Dartfordians Sports Club War Memorial Club House, Bourne Rd, Bexley, Kent DA5 1LW www.bexley.camra.org.uk 22-27 MAY 44th Cambridge Beer Festival 200+ ales, 80+ ciders & perries, plus foreign beer, wines & meads.

Jesus Green, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB4 3BD www.cambridgebeerfestival.com 25-27 MAY Lincoln Beer Fest 100+ real ales plus cider, perry and international bottled beers.

Lincoln Drill Hall, Free School Ln, Lincoln, LN2 1EY www.lincolncamra.org.uk 26-28 MAY 1st Beer & Cider By The Sea - Eastbourne 60 + Real Ales, 30+ Ciders/ Perries + range of foreign bottled beers, wine & cocktails. Live music entertainment on all sessions. www.visiteastbourne.com/beer-festival

Spring 2017 | 45

BE

Photo by John Moore

FI ER / S SPR N FE UM IN D N A ST ME G EA B LI R R EE STI YO R N U FES GS !

T

Something for everyone at a Norfolk beer festival As the winter months disappear and the sun starts to shine its time to start planning your beer-based excursions for the spring and summer of 2017.

Norfolk is a hive of fantastic beer festivals from those held in the humble village hall, community centre or rugby club like Ranworth, Walsham, and Crusaders to the massive citywide event that is the Norwich ‘City of Ale’.

With Norwich also now being the home of the National Winter Ales Festival for the next three years, the city is firmly on the map as a destination for the discerning drinker.

The locations are as varied as the sizes, fancy seeing out the summer solstice at a 16th century pub by the sea? Check out the Hill House Happisburgh. For steam enthusiasts the North Norfolk Railway hosts it’s beer festival in July.

Norfolk has some amazing walks such as the Peddars Way, which stretches from Knettishall Heath Country Park and follows the route of a Roman road to Holme-next-the-Sea on the north Norfolk coast, and the Norfolk Coast Path 46 | Spring 2017

which runs from Hunstanton to Cromer. Along the routes are a wealth of country pubs, some of which are offering beer festivals, other events and accommodation. Why not plan a trip and include a visit to some of these venues.

Combining a healthy dose of exercise with a sociable beer or two, the best of both worlds!

In the following pages is a selection of pubs and other venues which have advertised their beer festivals with us. We have also included a diary which lists all of these events and any others we have been made aware of. To get an idea of location, there is also a map included. The numbers on the map correspond to the numbers next to the diary listings.

A well-run pub can cater for all ages, offering a place where friendships can be formed and provides a convenient stopping point for a family enjoying a bike ride on a sunny day.

So whether you want a quick pint after work, a night out with your friends or a family day out with the kids; check out Norfolk, you won’t regret it.

Beer Festivals | Norfolk Nips

48 | Spring 2017

Norfolk Nips | Beer Festivals

Travelling around Norfolk Norfolk is well served by train and bus services between all the major towns, villages and out of Norfolk via Kings Lynn and Norwich. There are also many cycle and walking routes available for the more adventerous beer hunter or those with families looking for a full day out with some excercise thrown in.

Abellio Greater Anglia Services run everyday into Norfolk from Ely, Peterborough, Cambridge and Ipswich.

All services pass through Norwich where you can then go on to the coastal Norfolk towns of Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Cromer and Sheringham.

off from Kings Lynn and covers Hunstanton Wells - Weybourne - Sheringham - Cromer and many of the smaller villages in between. Other services include X8 covering Kings Lynn to Fakenham and Heacham.

X5 and X6 services from Fakenham to Norwich covering many villages including Little Snoring, Erpingham. Aylsham and Mile Cross.

There is a large map of the routes available for download at: www.stagecoachbus.com

Go to www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk to check times.

The X1 First group service runs into Norfolk from Peterborough passing through Kings Lynn, Narborough, Swaffham and several other villages to Norwich. The service then runs on through Acle and Great Yarmouth. Check out www.firstgroup.com for more details.

Heritage Train services

Cycling and Walking

Mid Norfolk Railway Travelling between Dereham - Yaxham Thuxton - Kimberley Park - Wymondham Abbey

Norfolk has hundreds of miles of quiet country lanes and roads to explore and is a brilliant county for cycling, whether you’re after a relaxing Sunday pedal or something a bit longer.

This volunteer run railway has a variety of locomotives including a fleet of heritage diesels.

Go to www.mnr.org.uk to check times.

The North Norfolk Railway Travelling between Sheringham - Weybourne Kelling Heath Park - Holt The North Norfolk Railway offers a 10.5 mile round trip by steam train (vintage diesel trains on some journeys) through a delightful area of North Norfolk designated as being of outstanding natural beauty.

Go to www.nnrailway.co.uk/timetable.php to check times.

Bus Services Norfolk Green run a number of Bus services into and around Norfolk. The Coasthopper route sets

Information on routes such as Marriotts Way and Peddars Way are available from the Norfolk County council web site at www.norfolk.gov.uk.

The Sustrans National Cycle Network passes through Norfolk and is designed to make cycling fun, safe and simple as you cover huge stretches of the UK. www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map /national-cycle-network One third of the Network is completely free from motor traffic, using old railway paths, forest tracks, country parks and bridleways, and the rest uses quiet minor roads and traffic-calmed streets in towns and cities. so if your having a drink - get out of the car and on yer bike!

Spring 2017 | 49

Beer Festivals | Norfolk Nips

50 | Spring 2017

Beer Festival Listings 1 24-26 March

11 28 May

Fakenham Gin & Beerfest Fakenham Community Centre

North Walsham RFC Rugby Sevens & Beer Festival Norwich Rd, Scottow NR10 5BU

2 14-17 April Easter Beer Festival Royal Oak, Poringland NR14 7JT Tel: 01508 493734

Collabfest A selection of totally unique, one-off casks. Go quick before they run out! Plasterers Arms, Magdalen St, Norwich

Aylsham Round Table 12th Anniversary Beer Festival Aylsham Old Cinema, Cawson Rd, 13 9-11 June Aylsham Kings Head Beer Festival Kings Head, North Rd, Hemsby NR29 4LR 4 21-23 April Beer and Banger Fest Black Horse, Thetford 14 16-18 June 01842 762717 8th Ale & Music Festival Jolly Sailors, Brancaster Staithe PE31 8BJ 5 28-30 April Wymondham and District 01485 210314 Ex-Services Social Club Beer 15 15-19 June Festival 23 real ales and 3 ciders Solstice Beer Festival 9 Friarscroft Lane, Wymondham Hill House, Happisburgh NR18 0AT 01692 650004

17

FEM.ALE Festival Beer and music festival celebrating women in the beer industry.

Plasterers Arms, Magdalen St, 18 Norwich

8 26-28 May Green Dragon Spring Beer Festival Green Dragon, Wymondham www.greendragonnorfolk.co.uk

19

9 26-29 May

GrainFest Local Ales and Live Music every day Geldeston Locks, Waveney www.geldestonlocks.co.uk

23 3-4 August

Angel Inn Beer Festival Larling NR16 2QU Tel: 01953 717963 24 4-5 August

North Walsham Beer Festival 50 beer and ciders for around Norfolk The Scout Hut, Midland Road, North Walsham 25 11-13 August

Ranworth 8th Beer Festival Ranworth Village Hall, Broad Road NR13 6HS 26 25 August

Duke of Wellington Summer Beer Fest Duke of Wellington, Norwich 01603 441182

16 29 June-2nd July

Easter Beer and Music Festival Geldeston Locks, Waveney www.geldestonlocks.co.uk

7 25-29 May

10th Annual Reedham Beer Festival Reedham Village Hall and Playing Fields. NR13 3HL

12 1-4 June

3 12-14 May

6 14 April

22 21-23 July

20

27 25-28 August Beehive Summer Beer Festival Green Dragon Summer Beer Beehive Freehouse, 30 Leopold Rd, Festival Norwich NR4 7PJ Green Dragon, Wymondham www.greendragonnorfolk.co.uk 5-9 July 28 15-16 September Beer And Music Festival Kings Arms, Norwich Jolly Sailors 1st Cider 01603 477888 Festival 12 ciders, 2 bands, BBQ & hay bales 11-16 July Jolly Sailors, Brancaster Staithe Heathlands 7th Summer PE31 8BJ Beer Festival and Fair 29 STOP PRESS! Blofield Heath NR13 4QH Just before print we heard about 14-16 July the The Great Yarmouth Beer Poppyline 16th Beer Festival & Cider Festival which will be North Norfolk Railway annual beer festival. Held at Sheringham Station held 18 - 21 May and will feature around 50 real ales, craft beers and ciders.

15-16 July More info here: Catfield Crown Beer Festival The Street, Catfield, Great www.stgeorgestheatre.com Yarmouth, Norfolk NR29 5AA Tel: 01692 580128

10 25 May-4 June 21 City of Ale 2017 Norwich City of Ale is a ten-day celebration of local pubs, breweries and real ale taking place throughout Norwich. cityofale.org.uk

21-23 July 9th Crusaders Beer Fest Crusaders RUFC, Beckhithe 01603 880663

Spring 2017 | 51

A beer festival is near you!

14 28

Brancaster Staithe

1

4

52 | Spring 2017

Great Ellingham

23 Larling

g

Norfolk Nips | Beer Festivals The numbers on the map match the numbers next to the events described on page 51. This map is to show you the general area and is not to scale!

19

11

3

24

15 13

20

8

5

21 27

10 12 26 16 7 17

Ranworth 25

18

2

Poringland 9

22

29

Reedham

6

Geldeston

Spring 2017 | 53

Beer Festivals | Norfolk Nips

54 | Spring 2017

Norfolk Nips | Beer Festivals

Spring 2017 | 55

Beer Festivals | Norfolk Nips

56 | Spring 2017

Norfolk Nips

Serving a selection of changing local real ales

Also serving home cooked food.

Sorry no food Monday evenings Sunday roast 2 courses for ÂŁ9.50.

Two main meals for ÂŁ10.00 from our set menu.

(Monday and Tuesday lunch times.) ghout the theme nights throu Various events and ng events. mi co up all for te year. See our websi Night March 17th: Race Night ish an Sp : 1st ril Ap Night May 20th: Italian British June 10th: Best of Beer Festival July 15th and 16th: The Street, Catfield, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR29 5AA Telephone: 01692 580128

www.catfieldcrown.co.uk 58 | Spring 2017

Norfolk Nips | Last orders

Steve’s Words Christmas and the New Year are now but a distant memory. However, the Winter Ales Festival at Norwich will be the highlight of February. When you are reading this it will all be over, but I am sure that it will have been a huge success.

This last week or so it has been light leaving for work in the morning and only just dark when finishing. This is a sure sign that Spring will be with us shortly.

It seemed that writing my piece last time contained quite a lot of doom and gloom. This update shows a much brighter picture for the area.

The Railway at Downham has closed for good, the train company are in the process of finding new tenants. Ian and family have started a new venture in Tottenhill and are planning a second new venture.

The Lord Nelson is still closed, but Greene King is planning to refurbish it prior to reopening in the Spring.

The Ouse Amateur Sailing Club is shortly to be run as a separate entity to the sailing side. I am sure this club will go from strength to strength with its new found independence.

The Revitalisation Project will be discussed at the Members Conference in Bournemouth in April via several discussion groups for everyone to get involved. To me it is vital that CAMRA does not lose its way by trying to be all things to everyone. Stay focussed on the core values of campaigning.

Support for pubs, but also recognise that bars and cafĂŠs now play an increasing part in our life.

Support for real ale, but recognise that cider and perry, together with craft beer although a smaller part of CAMRA all stand together and excellence of all is a worthy and necessary aim.

Enjoy the spring. Keep drinking.

Cheers Steve Barkern W.N. Chairman

Spring 2017 | 59

Norfolk Nips

60 | Spring 2017

Norfolk Nips | Dates for your Diary

CAMRA Branch Calendar Norwich and North Norfolk Branch Thursday 16th March Branch AGM – 8.00pm Take 5.

Friday 5th May First Friday Five – 8.00pm start Birdcage, Garnet, Walnut Tree Shades, Wildman, Cinema City.

Tuesday 21st March Midweek Stroll – Noon Reindeer, Micawbers, Ten Bells, Plough, Mash Tun & Gin Palace.

Saturday 13th May Mild Month Crawl – Start noon Fat Cat, Alexandra, Reindeer, Plough, White Lion, Angel Gardens, Duke of Wellington, Fat Cat Brewery Tap, Leopard, Plasterers, Kings Head.

Saturday 25th March Brewery Awards Evening – From 6.30pm Epic Studios, Norwich.

Wednesday 17th May Midweek Stroll – Noon Rushcutters, Buck, Rivergarden, Town House, Fat Cat & Canary.

Friday 31st March Campaign Trip – 7.15pm Castle Meadow visiting up to 5 pubs. Booking essential.

Thursday 18th May Branch Meeting & Social – Venue tba

Friday 7th April First Friday Five – 8.00pm start Queen of Iceni, Hotel Nelson Bar, Compleat Angler, Red Lion, Adam & Eve. Thursday 13th April Midweek Stroll – Noon Glasshouse, Lawyer, Ribs of Beef, Kings Head, Plasterers.

Saturday 15th April Trip to visit Mid-Anglia branch pubs 11.15am from Castle Meadow.

Friday 21st April Lunchtime Coach Trip depart Castle Meadow 11.00am.

Friday 28th April Campaign Trip – 7.15pm Castle Meadow visiting up to 5 pubs. Booking essential.

Friday 26th May Campaign Trip – 7.15pm Castle Meadow visiting up to 5 pubs. Booking essential.

West Norfolk Branch Tuesday 14th March Stag, West Acre Tuesday 11th April Old White Bell, Southery Tuesday 9th May Hero, Burnham Overy Staithe Tuesday 13th June Ostrich, Castle Acre Note: All Tuesday meetings start 8pm and normally include a social.

Branch contacts | Norfolk Nips

Contact Details Norwich & Norfolk Branch Chairman: Ian Stamp Email: chairman@norwichcamra.org.uk Secretary: Rob Whitmore Email: secretary@norwichcamra.org.uk Social Secretary: Michael Philips Email: socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk Pubs Officer: Ian Stamp Email: pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org.uk Press Officer: Jenny Bach Email: pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org.uk West Norfolk Branch Chairman: Steve Barker email: steve.barker495@btinternet.com

Published every 3 months by the Norwich and Norfolk & West Norfolk branches of the Campaign for Real Ale Š N&N CAMRA 2017 Norfolk Nips is produced and distributed by members of the branch in their own time. Views expressed in Norfolk Nips are not necessarily those of the editor or of CAMRA. Edited by: Graham Freeman Email: norfolknips@norwichcamra.org.uk Chris Lucas Email: chris-stig@tiscali.co.uk Design & Production: Daniel Speed - Orchard House Media 01778 382758 Email: info@orchardhousemedia.co.uk

Secretary & Branch Contact: Ian Bailey Tel: 01553 766904

Advertising: For advertising enquiries please contact Orchard House Media on: 01778 382718 camra@orchardhousemedia.co.uk

Treasurer: Jim Fergusson

Distribution: 12,000 copies / four times a year

Vice Chair: Nige Nudds

Deputy Treasurer: June Parsons Membership Secretary: Jeff Hoyle Press and Publicity: Ros Harre Pubs Officer: Claire Harvey Pub Protection Officer: Jeff Hoyle Webmaster: Nige Nudds Cider: Andrea Briers Branch websites: www.norwichcamra.org.uk www.camra.org.uk/wnorfolk Branch mailing list web page: Branch Facebook Page: facebook.com/groups/NorwichCAMRA 62 | Spring 2017

Norwich and Norfolk District: Adam Gannaway 07720 512453 nipsdistribution@norwichcamra.org.uk West Norfolk District: Ros Harre r.harre@btinternet.com

“Not just a Pub!”

EASTER BEER FESTIVAL

Fri 14th - Mon 17th April

REAL ALE • REAL WELCOME • REAL FOOD

....

Serving Main Meals, Bar Meals and Sandwiches Food is available 7 days a week Check out our website for opening times and menu FOR BOOKINGS Tel 01508 493734.

Visit us online at www.poringlandroyaloak.com 44 The Street, Poringland NR14 7JT